NPHC Secretiveness, Insularity, Etc.

[L.O.C.K.]

Child,

Hazing is across the board (Black, White, Latino, Asian, Purple, Green, whatever)

It is present in MANY cultures over the past thousands of years and has manifested itself in many different ways.

Whether or not hazing happens is purely on a chapter basis for NPHC and NPC/NIC. I know of NPHC orgs that haze and ones that don't haze. I know of NPC/NIC orgs that haze and ones that don't haze. You can't make blanket statements like that and expect people to take your words first hand.

Also, another reason for small numbers is the proportion of Black, Latino, Asian students on campuses across the country. Except for HBCUs, HSIs, and some California schools, all are major minorities at most institutions...hence numbers will be smaller.

Are there other issues that contribue to smaller numbers? Of course. Is hazing one of them? Yes, it could be, but it depends on the chapter.

Hazing is still very very prevalent in all orgs across the board, and just trying to ban it has never worked and won't work until the culture of what it means to be "Greek" is changed. End of story.

Pledging and hazing have been thrown together into one basket, and now it's a crime to make a kid memorize your history or something. So, hazing will continue because members value their history and "traditions".

NPHC and NPC/NIC have strong anti-hazing policies, but if you look at say DST's website for example you will see lists of people who had their membership snatched or fined, etc. for issues like hazing. The list is not like one or two people either. (Sorry for callin DST out, but it's site that sticks out in my mind the most about members who got in trouble w/ IHQ)

As for secrecy amongst NPHC orgs...yea it's there. Why is it there? I am sure there are many contributing factors:

-anti-Black sentiment on campuses throughout the past century forcing undercover operations

-the sense of empowerment the individual gets being part of something exclusive (this obviously is not limited to NPHC orgs)

-"traditions" building up over time

-probably a lot more too

As AKA Monet said, a lot of the misunderstandings come from much bigger issues like segregation (both self-segregation and intentional segregation) or stereotypes or whatever.

Greek life has the potential to be bridges between various cultures and backgrounds. Unfortunately, right now it magnifies the barriers in many cases (per my research).

It's up to us to change it.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by ChildoftheHorn

I understand the D9 *hush*, but the point is also that many people are confused and mislead by lack of knowledge.

There are none of the information meetings or discussion at all about the organizations (to the best of my knowledge).

Why not have an open hall during New Student Week where evey org has a few people and a sign/banner/board where they talk about their philanthropy/values/history for a couple of hours?

Lack of knowledge? I don't agree. Of course interested individuals wil not know EVERYTHING about any NPHC org before intake, but they know enough....I did.

My campus has Greek Speak each semester where all NPHC groups tell attendees thier history, chapter history, requirements for membership (as stated on the website) and this event is REQUIRED by the university to make sure that interested individuals are made aware of what the university stance on hazing is as well as their desired organization stance on hazing.

AKA also has 'the General Information for the Collegian' brouchure that ALL interested ladies are welcome to that tells them what is allowed and what is NOT. To me that is pretty cut and dry. As stated on our website and at my campus, "Any one being a participant in hazing WILL be denied membership!" ......That is cut and dry.

With that being said there is no need for me to coach little Jane as how she should become a member.....I didn't have a coach and I am doing well.

[brownsugar952]

Originally Posted by L.O.C.K.

Also, another reason for small numbers is the proportion of Black, Latino, Asian students on campuses across the country. Except for HBCUs, HSIs, and some California schools, all are major minorities at most institutions...hence numbers will be smaller.

Thank you so much for pointing this out. I hear this all the time. If an organization is meant to serve a particular segment of the population, they are probably going to attract mostly people who belong to that segment of the population. I'm pretty sure on most campuses if you look at the statistics, white students join greek organizations just as often as non-white students.

If there are only 2,000 minorities on your campus, I doubt that there will be chapter sizes of 50-60 for each organization.

[Senusret I]

And just so people understand where I'm coming from, CHildofthehorn said this:

Some of the Multi-cultural orgs. are extremely cliquish(w/hazing) and by doing so harm the others who are not. Since the NPC and IFC orgs are larger numbers per group, there is a more heavily enforced regulation.


Without any sort of preface that this was the "prevailing notion" as opposed to her personal opinion. If she clarifies herself, I would be appreciative. Otherwise, I really don't like the accusations of cliquishness and hazing, even if she's saying not all the cultural orgs do it.

You might think an NPHC org is cliquish because they are small and only like being around each other, but when you understand the history of NPHC organizations, that's sorta the point...especially on a white campus.

When you understand the WORK that goes into keep an active chapter of an NPHC organization going -- again, especially on a white campus -- maybe you will understand why NPHC orgs aren't taking the lead on all Greek events.

Child of the horn, didn't your sorority recolonize with like 120 people? Isn't the average NPHC org at your school one tenth of that size? Yet the NPHC orgs have the same responsibilities that you do, at least to the university. They can't be everywhere at all times, you know.

And this is for anybody who is having those feelings that they just wish the NPHC orgs would "come out and play" sometimes.

[brownsugar952]

Is it just me or does NPC/IFC seem really cliquish also?

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by brownsugar952

It is just me or does NPC/IFC seem really cliquish also?

Not at my school. It seems that they only stick to thier own sorority or fraternity. At my school ALL of the NPHC stick together and I love that! If one of my Sorors is not present at something I can have no qualms by sitting with any of the other D9 versus sitting alone. The NPC at my school is VERY LARGE (probably smaller than other SEC schools nearby) at least when I compare how many of them it is to us.

[Infamous12]

Originally Posted by brownsugar952

Is it just me or does NPC/IFC seem really cliquish also?

To be honest, all orgs, greek, athletic, social or what have you...may seem cliquish by nature. We have a tendency to stick to what we know. I'm an NPHC Greek and feel 'at home' comfortable sitting next to my Sands or a Que, Iota or Zeta! BUT I also felt fine sitting with A-Psi, a lady of Kappa Alpha Theta or my guys in Sig Ep!

At my alma mater We'd have Greek Week with teams consisting of members of NPHC, MGC, IFC & PHA, etc. Also...my chapter hosted several joint programs with Alpha Psi Lambda, Latino Fraternity. We also had several Open Houses (my chapter created the official one for NPHC at O-State. OO-OOP! ) and Meet the Greeks talks, so everyone has the opp to learn of the other orgs.

Let's remember...We're all people first, there was a time when we weren't Greek and we were all just measly little freshmen searching to find our niche. The PHA Pres and NPHC Pres might have started off as grand roommates freshmen year.

to my TWIN and Sensuret I, I second your comments.

[1908Revelations]

Originally Posted by Infamous12

To be honest, all orgs, greek, athletic, social or what have you...may seem cliquish by nature. We have a tendency to stick to what we know. I'm an NPHC Greek and feel 'at home' comfortable sitting next to my Sands or a Que, Iota or Zeta! BUT I also felt fine sitting with A-Psi, a lady of Kappa Alpha Theta or my guys in Sig Ep!

At my alma mater We'd have Greek Week with teams consisting of members of NPHC, MGC, IFC & PHA, etc. Also...my chapter hosted several joint programs with Alpha Psi Lambda, Latino Fraternity. We also had several Open Houses (my chapter created the official one for NPHC at O-State. OO-OOP! ) and Meet the Greeks talks, so everyone has the opp to learn of the other orgs.

Let's remember...We're all people first, there was a time when we weren't Greek and we were all just measly little freshmen searching to find our niche. The PHA Pres and NPHC Pres might have started off as grand roommates freshmen year.

to my TWIN and Sensuret I, I second your comments.

Touche TWIN!!

[ladygreek]

Originally Posted by Senusret I

[/I]Without any sort of preface that this was the "prevailing notion" as opposed to her personal opinion. If she clarifies herself, I would be appreciative. Otherwise, I really don't like the accusations of cliquishness and hazing, even if she's saying not all the cultural orgs do it.

As I was so bluntly told, why does she have to preface it?

[Senusret I]

Originally Posted by ladygreek

As I was so bluntly told, why does she have to preface it?

LOL..... well all she really has to do is stay ChildOftheHorn and die, lol